A Mother's Strength
by beyondthesettingsun
Summary: Katara's daughter was beautiful- she had her father's eyes and stole the rest of her looks from her mother. She stole her parent's hearts. Now Katara will do anything just to get her back.
1. Prologue

**Oooo- two stories at once! I promise I'll actually finish this one haha...**

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His heart raced. His stomach turned with each heart wrenching scream. He winced. The pain sounded absolutely awful. Aang paced back and forth, sweat pouring down his face. A sudden hand was on his shoulder and stopped him from making a rut. The Airbender turned around to see Sokka looking down at him.

"She's gonna be okay. Just relax."

Aang nodded. There was another scream.

"Katara!"

"Aang-."

He darted for the door only to be stopped by Suki coming out. She had a smirk on her face and her arms were crossed over her chest.

"Congratulations, Daddy. You now have a daughter."

Aang's grey eyes lit up as he darted into the ice hut where his wife was. He stood by the edge of her bed and looked down at a little baby bundled up in a blanket in Katara's arms. He smiled when his wife looked up to him. She appeared to be crying…either that or there was a lot of sweat on her face…or both. But that didn't matter to him. She was still as beautiful as ever.

"Do you wanna hold her?" Katara's weak voice asked.

Aang nodded and picked up his baby girl. He looked into her eyes and smiled.

"They're just like yours, Aang."

"That they are. What are we going to name her?"

Aang handed down the baby back to Katara as she pondered the thought. Her eyes squinted then widened.

"I've got it! Kya."

Aang tilted his head. "After your mother?"

She nodded. "Baby Kya."

"Katara, she's so beautiful."

The mother nodded in agreement. She was so happy that she finally had a daughter of her own. One that she could love and protect and teach and care for. And she knew that she would give the world for Kya- she would die for her- just like her own mother had done for her.

**A/N: Sooo...yes, no, maybe, lobster? (sorry, quoting Abridged) Anyway...this is my new story. I got the idea for it coming home from the airport today so...yeah. This is a short chapter only because it's the prologue.**


	2. Just Like Mommy

**Chapter...one! I was about to say two but it's really not. So...yeah...I'm a little quicker on this one.**

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"Mommy!!" the little girl squealed, running as fast a three year old could.

Katara, being interrupted from a conversation with her brother, turned around, knelt down, and opened up her arms, scooping her daughter up into them.

"Hi, Baby." Katara kissed Kya's cheek.

"Uncle Sokka! Guess- guess what?" the girl's words were barely comprehendible. "I- I can Watherbend just like- just like Momma!"

The siblings laughed at her mispronunciation.

"Really?" Sokka asked. "That's amazing!"

Kya nodded proudly and smiled. "I know."

Katara placed her forehead to her daughter's and stared into her shiny grey eyes.

"Kya, why don't you go and find Daddy? I'll be in in a few minutes, okay?"

Again, Kya nodded. She was placed carefully on the ground before taking off through the village to her house.

"So can she really Waterbend?"

Katara shook her head and laughed.

"She only thinks she can. To her Waterbending means scooping up water in her hands and throwing it up into the air."

A chuckle was made from Sokka. "Don't worry. I bet she'll be as good as you one day."

"I'm trying not to get my hopes up for a bender but even if she's not I'll still love her as much as I possibly can."

"I know that, Katara. I just know how much you wanted your kid to Waterbend. That's all you would talk about before she was born."

"Well you can't have the world, I guess."

Sokka nodded and gave his sister a hug. "Though you do deserve it."

Sokka walked back to his house leaving Katara staring out to the ocean. It felt like just the other day that she found Aang in an iceberg and now they were married with a daughter. She sighed at the thought.

--

A blue curtain opened wide to a small room with a few chairs. Aang sat in one with his feet up and his eyes shut, sleeping. This didn't seem to bother Kya though. With a smirk on her face she ran up and 

jumped onto his lap and snuggled up to him. The father's eyes winced and opened, looking down at his daughter.

"Well hello there."

"Hi Daddy. Shhh. I'm trying to sleep."

Aang laughed and picked up his daughter while standing up.

"I don't mean to disrupt you but it's almost time for dinner. You can't sleep right now."

"You were."

Aang's eyes softened. "You're right. Then it's a good thing you came and woke me up. Where's Mommy?"

"She- she said she's coming. She's talking to- to uh Uncle Sokka."

Aang hugged his daughter and set her down on the ground. She wandered around the room a little before coming back up to her dad with a big smile on her face.

"I can Watherbend! Like Mommy! I'm just like Mommy, right?"

"You are. You look just like her…except you've stolen my eyes."

Kya stuck out a pouting lip. "I want blue eyes like Mommy. She's pretty."

Aang's face fell slightly at her statement. He knew she was only three and she was a girl but it seemed like the only reason why she liked Aang was for him to hold her and that was it.

"Grey eyes are nice."

"But you have grey eyes. You're a boy. I'm- I'm a uh…a girl."

"Girls can have grey eyes. Uncle Sokka has blue eyes. He's a boy."

Kya shrugged. "Uncle Sokka can't Watherbend."

"I can."

Aang's attempts to try and gain his daughter's approval were failing miserably.

"Yeah but- but Mommy's better."

A door opened and shut and Kya's face lit up. "Mommy!" She ran out of the room and down a small hallway to greet her mother leaving Aang sulking.

"She's not better than me…is she?"

Katara walked into the room alone, smiling at her husband.

"Kya giving you a hard time?" she laughed.

"What? Not at all, why?"

"You look depressed."

Katara came up and gave Aang a big hug. He wrapped his arms around her waist and returned it, neither of them letting go.

"You're a fine Waterbender, Aang. You know that, right?"

"That's not what your daughter thinks."

"And you're going to believe a three year old little girl?"

Aang laughed at his stupidity. "No. I guess not."

Katara released her grip a little and set her head back to look into Aang's eyes. She closed hers and slowly came forward, capturing his lips with hers.

"Eww!"

The couple broke apart in embarrassment and looked down at a little girl in the doorway with a disgusted look on her face. Katara laughed and picked up her daughter.

"Kya can you wait for me in the kitchen? I'll be there in a minute and you can help me fix dinner."

"Okay!" And with that she waddled over to the kitchen to obey her obvious idol.

"Aang there's something I need to talk to you about."

"If it's about her not being able to Waterbend then-."

Katara shook her head and closed her eyes. Her face looked slightly worried.

"Is there something wrong?"

The woman sighed and looked back up to Aang. She crossed her arms around her stomach and took a deep breath.

"I know this wasn't planned and I know we're just getting used to having a kid but…"

Aang looked to Katara knowing what was coming. He gulped slightly.

"I…how do you feel about another?"

"Do we have a choice?"

Katara shook her head and laughed a little. "Not really." She sighed.

Aang walked back up to Katara and took her into his arms. He smiled, inhaling her sweet scent.

"That'll be just fine with me. Only under one condition- it wants to be an Airbender."

They both laughed and heard a call from the kitchen.

"I guess it's time to make dinner. Your clone is calling."

Katara playfully glared at Aang and followed her child's voice. Aang looked down to the floor once she left and sighed. He couldn't imagine another kid already but if it was with Katara, he decided that it was worth it.

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**A/N: Yes, another kid. Wonder if it'll be an Airbender or Waterbender? Hmmm...decisions, decisions...**


	3. Kidnapped

**Oh my gosh! I added two chapters today! Haha I have free time! Here's chapter three...or two...:**

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Dinner went through as normally as possible with a young daughter. Kya would complain that something didn't taste good; Aang would tell her to eat it anyway that it tasted fine; Kya still wouldn't eat; Katara would tell her that it tasted wonderful and that she should eat it and she would leaving Aang with depressed eyes. Dishes went through without one broken dish (it seemed to be a first with Kya helping) and then it was off to bed for the little girl.

Katara sat down in a chair in the living room exhausted. She placed a hand on her abdomen and winced in pain. A comforting hand lied on her shoulder.

"You shouldn't push yourself too hard, Katara. You need to rest."

She shook her head. "But I have no time to rest. I need to clean the house, look after Kya, and cook, wash the clothes-."

"Or," Aang interrupted, "you could take a break for a while at Sokka and Suki's house and I could look after Kya for a few days."

"Aang you know she won't listen to you." Katara covered her mouth as soon as she said it. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it…"

"Hey, it's alright. You were clingy to your mom too, right?"

Katara nodded.

"She'll come around."

"Mommy!!" a voice called from another room.

Katara's head shot up to the call of her daughter's voice. She slowly got up and began making her way to Kya's room.

"I'll be right back."

"You really should rest."

"I will in a minute!"

Aang shook his head as he watched his hopeless wife come to their daughter's rescue. He was about to sit down when he heard another call from the bedroom. And this time it wasn't from Kya.

"Aang! Hurry!"

His heart raced as he darted at full speed out of the living room and down the hall to his wife's side to find her sitting on the floor next to Kya's bed. She had her knees tucked into her chest like she often did when she was younger and upset. She clenched a piece of parchment in her hand and was sobbing. His eyes narrowed then widened when he saw Kya's empty bed. He ran up to Katara and knelt by her.

"Katara, what happened? Where's Kya?"

"I- I don't know." She said between sobs. "Aang she's gone!" Her head rose up and her tear stained eyes locked with Aang's. "She's gone! I- I don't know- I…"

Katara threw her arms around Aang's neck and pulled him close as she continued to cry. He put her at bay and took the note that was in her hand, reading it carefully.

"_If you want your daughter back come to the Western Air Temple immediately."_

Aang clenched his fists and his heart raced. He was pissed. Katara finally stopped crying and looked at Aang.

"Where is she?"

"The Western Air Temple. Well, she's headed there right now, anyway. Someone took her Katara."

"What!? The Western Air Temple!?" Katara stood up and glared out the open window where her daughter had been taken. "I'm going after them."

"Katara you can't! You're…well…pregnant. You can't travel like this right now. Look, I'll go after whoever it is and I'll get Kya back tonight. Please just-."

"Aang no! I'm not staying here while some lunatic runs off with my baby daughter!" Katara was now glaring down Aang in a way he'd never seen her before. "I'm going to get her back if it's the LAST thing I do and you can't stop me even if I am pregnant! Kya's my daughter! My _only_ daughter and I'm going to protect her! Just like my mother…I…"

Katara became lightheaded. She placed her hand to her head and fell backwards, passing out.

"Katara!" Aang ran up and caught her just before she hit the ground.

He knew that she was in no condition to go and fight but he knew that she had to. He remembered how far she went to find the one who killed her mother and he couldn't let her go through that kind of pain again even if she was just waiting for him to return with Kya. He knew that she had to go but he wasn't going to let her go alone.

--

Katara's eyes opened slowly as she looked up to a hazy light. A candle shown beside her and she felt her hand being squeezed. She turned her head to see Aang, Sokka and Suki by her bed.

"What happened?" she questioned groggily.

"You passed out," Aang replied softly.

That's when she remembered- Kya was gone. Katara shot up quickly and swung her legs over the bed. She was stopped by Sokka putting his hands on her shoulders.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Kya! I need to go get Kya."

"Katara you really shouldn't be going anywhere."

"I don't care, Sokka! She's my daughter and I need her and I need to go now before they hurt her. Sokka if they hurt her I'll never forgive myself."

Her brother sighed. "This isn't your fault. And you have another child to think about. Running around and Waterbending isn't healthy for you right now."

"I think she really needs to go, though," Aang added.

"But-."

Suki interrupted. "Aang's right, Sokka. Katara needs to do this. She needs to find Kya. Trust me. When you're a mother, knowing that something happened or could happen to you child just kills you. Why do you think whenever Kao goes anywhere I go with him?"

Sokka sighed and backed up. "Just be careful, Katara. I don't want you to lose two of them."

"And what makes you think I'll lose one!?"

His hands were shot up in front of his chest in defense.

"I never said you were. Just please be careful."

"I will."

Aang grabbed Katara's hand again.

"I'm coming with you Katara. She's my daughter, too and I want to be there to protect you just in case anything happens."

The twenty-five year old girl stood up and nodded her head.

"I promise I'll be careful. And I promise we'll come home soon- with Kya."

Katara closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Sokka came up and gave her a hug. She returned it gratefully, a tear rolling down her cheek. They pulled back and Sokka smiled.

"I've always admired your bravery. I know you'll find her." Sokka kissed her forehead and stepped back.

Aang and Katara packed up blankets, pillows, food and other necessities onto Appa and took off towards the Western Air Temple. Katara looked ahead with a determined face and anger beginning to rage inside of her again as they took off into the horizon.


	4. Thoughts of the Future

**The next chapter! Yea! Tell me whatchya think. I was going to add a part in here that could have been kind of...well sexual but I decided not to. You could probably find where once you read it. But I tend not to lean to much in that direction so...yeah.**

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A cough was heard from behind and Aang jumped a little. He turned around to see Katara huddled up at the far end of the saddle, wrapped up in a heavy blanket asleep. He smiled at the sight. Even after all of these years, she was still so beautiful and precious to him. The sun had began to rise as they started journey again. The couple had spent the night at an inn in a small town on an island which belonged oddly enough to the Earth Kingdom. The keepers had welcomed the two with open arms and gave them a free night's stay and gave them their pity from the loss of Kya but congratulations for Katara's new pregnancy.

Aang suspected Katara had been pregnant a while before she found out, or decided to tell him, because he could see that she was starting to grow a slightly round stomach. He found this aspect of the nine months rather cute but he wondered how someone could become so…enlarged in such a small amount of time. But he found it humorous how tiny Katara could be this way. Katara didn't find this funny at all. This time around she wasn't too concerned though. Aang guessed it was either because she had accepted this part of being pregnant or she just really didn't seem to care so much because of Kya.

The next sound he heard from the back was a groan. This made him turn around.

"Katara, are you feeling okay?"

There was no answer. He shrugged thinking she just didn't hear him so he spoke again.

"Katara? How's…you know…the baby thing going? Do you need to stop?"

There was another groan. This time Aang's eyebrows drooped. What was going on? He sighed as he let go of the reigns telling Appa just to keep going in the same direction and he crawled back to his wife and placed a hand on her shoulder. Katara screamed and kicked hard to Aang in a most unpleasant place for him. This time it was his turn to groan as he winced in pain and shut his eyes. Katara gasped and placed a hand over her mouth as she sat up.

"Aang, I'm so sorry. I was asleep and you scared me and I thought that you weren't you and…I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

Aang took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah," he squeaked. Katara couldn't help but laugh a little. "Oh you think that's funny?" He asked in a somewhat rude voice.

Katara's eyes drifted down and her heart dropped a tad bit. Aang started laughing. This made Katara smile and shove him playfully to the side.

"Now that was rude," she laughed. She paused looking around. "Aang, are we going down?"

"Hmm?" Suddenly Aang felt the slight drift, too.

He slapped his forehead and quickly made his way to the reigns again, pulling Appa upwards.

"I thought I told you to keep going," Appa growled.

Katara, with the blanket wrapped around her, carefully walked up to Aang and sat down, snuggling up to him. She closed her eyes sighed, enjoying the cool breeze on her face and figure.

"I miss this," she whispered.

"Yeah," Aang agreed. "So do I. I just wish that we weren't doing this because something bad happened." Katara's eyes opened to a slit. She had forgotten why they had gone out. "Katara? Once we get Kya back, we're going on vacation. And we're flying the whole way. Maybe we could go to the North Pole. I always loved long flying trips."

Aang felt Katara nod on his shoulder. "That would be nice. But do you actually think that we could get her back?"

"Katara don't talk like that. Of course we will. It won't be too difficult. Besides, Kya has the Avatar and the greatest Waterbender in the world as parents. If you ask me, _she_ could kick those people's butts who took her."

Katara chuckled and imagined her three year old daughter using Waterbending to escape the clutches of grown Fire Nation soldiers. She wasn't quite sure who took her but whenever she pictured someone being captured she always envisioned it being by the Fire Nation even though the war had been over for quite some time. She came to realize that the memories of running would never fully disappear from her judgment.

"Oh I just hope she's alright."

"You're a mother. Of course you'll worry. Heck I'm a dad and I am. Which I suspect is normal…" he joked. "But we'll get her back, unharmed. Don't you worry. I _promise_ she'll come out without even a scratch on her skin."

Aang's impromptu words comforted Katara even though she felt that she couldn't fully trust them yet. They were so far away from her, those words. They were like being on the tip of the South Pole and she was on the tip of the North Pole looking below only to find a vast space of nothingness. Just sorrow and pain. She turned her mind from the thought, hoping that she wouldn't start breaking out in tears. She had to stay strong. Usually this wouldn't be so difficult but at the moment her hormones were being stretched to all angles and just about anything could make her go from one extreme to another. As for now she had to focus on what lied ahead in the future- for the good. Katara fell asleep, leaning against Aang, dreaming of Kya running around with a little brother: her being a Waterbender, him being an Airbender and looking just like his daddy.

She imagined having more kids, possibly two more, maybe three, whatever the two parents desired. She dreamt of them having amazing futures, growing up with no war, having friends in all of the four nations. Well three of them not including their father. She dreamt of them growing up to be masters of their elements and becoming big and strong and having kids and families of their own. As for now this stayed a dream to her and her alone. But she knew anything was possible with Aang. And if children were possible, if defeating the Fire Lord was possible, if making it _this_ far was possible, so was finding Kya.

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**A/N: I am so happy I actually thought of something for this chapter! Even though it's like a filler chapter...**


	5. Stress, Stress, and More Stress

**Sorry it's so short. But hey! It's something!**

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The inn the couple stayed in this night was a rather cold one. Aang clung to the inside of the blankets of the bed trying to stay warm. He moved his hand over to find Katara to try and wrap an arm around her to help keep her warm when he discovered the space where her body used to be empty.

Aang slowly opened his eyes and whispered his wife's name. When there was no reply he sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes trying to get them adjusted to the darkness of the room. Then he heard a whimper coming from the other side of the room. Concerned, he got up and walked over to a dark, shadowy figure sitting in a chair in the corner. She was crying.

"Katara? You okay?"

The woman quickly shook her head 'no'. Aang embraced his wife and held her to his chest.

"Even though I try to convince myself that she's okay and that she will be okay, I think about what they might be doing to her and I can't help but cry."

Aang let off a sigh.

"That's okay, Katara. She's your daughter. We've talked about this. But I also know that you are strong and if Kya is your daughter, so is she. Look, we'll be at the Western Air Temple tomorrow and you'll be able to see her and you'll see that she'll be alright."

Katara held her breath to try and stop her muffled cries. She looked up at the dark ceiling with her blue, watery eyes and prayed that she would be able to make it through this. She didn't know how Aang could do it. He probably felt that he had to be strong and that killed her. She didn't want him to think that he can't show his concern because she was having a break down.

"You miss her, Aang?"

"Mhmm. Very much. Just hang on. We'll leave in the morning, baby. I promise."

Her heart felt like it was being pulled towards her daughter.

"Aang…do you mind if…if we leave now?"

Katara looked hopeful up at her husband. He looked away for a moment, contemplating the idea. If he said yes then Katara would be happy but he'd be up for endless hours without sleep. If he said no then Katara would be mad and he'd still be up endless hours without sleep from her bugging him about it. He chose the first option—it would be less painful.

"Okay," he finally responded. "Let's go."

With a thankful face, Katara gathered her things and left with Aang. They left money at the closed front desk and went outside to Appa. After a few minutes of trying to awaken the beast, the hopped on and took off. Katara breathed in the fresh scent of the night air and slowly blew it back out.

"She's crying."

Aang turned around to his wife.

"What?"

"Kya…it's like I can hear her crying. She's probably cold and hungry and scared…and in pain…"

Aang shook his head. "Please try not to think of it. And please try and get some rest. If we're going to be at the temple in the morning, then you do need rest."

"I wonder if she's there yet. You know, at the temple."

"I'm sure she is. I'm sure they went nonstop."

"Then why didn't we!?" Katara suddenly screamed. This startled Aang quite a bit. "Why didn't we? We're her parents! We should have Kya safe in our arms right now! Why did you have to stop, Aang!? We could be there by now! We could be half way home by now!"

Aang held his breath as his wife began to lose control. He couldn't take it any longer.

"Because Katara! We needed the break! And you're pregnant! You shouldn't even be here right now! You passed out, remember?! I _let _you go along with me so you should just sit still for a while and maybe you won't be like this!"

Aang immediately regretted what he had just said. Katara just glared at him.

"Like what? What am I like, Aang? A concerned mother who wants her child back?! I'm sorry! Next time my child gets kidnapped, I won't care! I'll let them take them! How's that?!"

A deep breath left Aang's mouth.

"Katara, I didn't mean it like that."

"Then how'd you mean it?" She spat out.

"I meant you being the way you are when you're pregnant. Did you know women become moody when that happens?"

Aang meant this lightheartedly but Katara didn't exactly see eye-to-eye.

"Well sorry! Next time think before you get me pregnant!"

The Avatar left it at that. _'I'm not the only one at fault on that one, honey.'_ He thought. Aang looked to the sky with weary eyes and saw a glimpse of light coming over the horizon. And what he also saw scared him. Air balloons with Fire Nation insignias and Dai Li agents surrounded a canyon below. This would be a bigger battle than they thought…

**A/N: Yes, Aang and Katara were a little uptight in this chapter but what do you expect?**


	6. The Western Air Temple

**Oh my gosh a new chapter! Yes, it's been a few weeks- but surgery will put you on the DL for a while. Now that I'm not taking oxicodone every three hours, my head is cleared up enough to write, haha. So I'm gracing you with another chapter…but it's short so don't get too excited. :) **

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Aang looked around at the Western Air Temple below him. He felt a hand squeeze on his arm and he turned to see Katara looking at him with teary eyes.

"What are we going to do?" she asked in a whisper?

The Avatar shook his head. "I'm not sure yet. I'm not sure if we should hide Appa and walk or just go right in because they're expecting us. I'm afraid to make the wrong decision."

Aang knew that with one wrong move would mean the difference between one of them being a single parent at the end of the mission. So he decided to take the safer of the two routes and hide when he saw a bunch of people below flailing their arms into the air.

"What are they doing, Aang?"

"I…I think they're signaling for us to…land."

The Waterbender shot her husband a confused look but nodded. Aang cautiously led the bison to the ground and in front of the small line of Dai Li agents. After helping Katara down, he sized up the bunch. He could take them down at any second if they threatened his wife or child. Then the crowd parted and a man stepped through with his hands properly behind his back.

"Long Feng," Aang glared, "where is she?"

The man smiled and slumped his shoulders as if stretching them before returning to his previous position.

"Don't worry, Avatar, your precious daughter is safe and sound. At the moment she's sound asleep, thankfully. She sure does love to ramble and argue. Takes after her mother."

Long Feng's eyes slid their way to Katara's face as she wrinkled her face and clenched her fists.

"What did you do to her?" she asked, angrily.

"Oh nothing. We simply treated her like a princess. We gave her plenty of food and water and toys and attention. She was a little scared at first but she warmed up to me. I was pleased to find that she isn't a bender…"

Katara shook her head. "Why did you take her?"

"You really haven't figured that out yet? Dai Li, arrest the Avatar and his wife."

Long Feng turned and walked away as the agents followed the man's command. Aang stepped in front of Katara and shot a blast of fire forward, scattering some of the soldiers. He grabbed Katara's hand and 

began to run only being jerked forward and onto his face. Katara grunted as she fell onto her hands. Her feet had been strapped to the ground by Earth and her being captured sent Aang flying forward.

Before he got up, he was met by more Dai Li agents and his hand and ankles were bounded with stone. An agent grabbed his arm and pulled him up roughly and started dragging him towards the temple. Katara's hands were also bound but her feet were let lose. The agents stood at her sides and to her back pushing her in the direction of Aang.

The two looked around their old temporary home. The place had totally changed. Other than having the walls scrubbed from all signs of previous Airbender evidence, there were different tunnels and passages built and command stations. The Dai Li had totally taken over and turned this place into a secret headquarters for themselves.

After a rather long walk, the Avatar and his wife were brought upon chambers made of metal and were placed in one. The stone on their hands were quickly replaced by metal chains that were attached to the walls of the prison. As the guards left them, one spat.

"How can they do this to you!?" Katara shouted. "You're the Avatar!"

Aang just raised an eyebrow and cocked his head. "You wouldn't have said that about ten years ago."

"Well that's because everyone hated you then…sorry."

The girl looked down and Aang laughed a little.

"Katara, these are the same people who hated me then. Just because the war is over doesn't mean they're not going to hate me anymore. Ozai still hates me."

"That's because you dethroned him."

"True, but the Dai Li, and especially Long Feng, aren't going to approve of me just because I took down the Fire Lord. They still want power and they probably want what Ozai wanted. Only they're not powerful enough to obtain that so they most likely took Kya to get me here and use me as a weapon against the world."

Katara just blinked and stared at her husband.

"And so you came anyway!? I knew you should have stayed home."

"Katara, I'm not going to let that happen. Believe me. If I thought it would I wouldn't have come. I would've sent you with Sokka and Suki to come here and get Kya if I thought that they were a possible threat to the world. Just trust me with this. We'll take Kya back and leave totally unharmed and I'll take down the Dai Li for the final time in the process. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. The only thing that should be on your mind right now is rest so that you and our baby won't get sick."

Aang flashed his famous smile which relaxed Katara a little. And with the little mobility she had she leaned up against the wall, getting as comfortable as she possibly could, and closed her eyes to sleep. 

Aang was right; she needed rest and she needed to keep calm. The fate of the world couldn't be threatened by the Dai Li. Not without Azula, that is. So she had nothing to worry about. If Aang knew this was going to happen, then he also knew the perfect plan to escape with their daughter. So from here on out, everything would go smoothly.

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**Ahhh, don't you just love hopeless optimism? Yes you can take that as a hint. But **_**I'm**_** writing the story so how could I possibly make the escape go smoothly? Yes, I'm quite cruel to the gang but hey, that's what makes a good story.- beyondthesettingsun**


	7. Azula

**Another chapter! I'm sorry it's so short again but that's what happens sometimes. I'll try and make the next ones a little longer. **

"So what are we going to do?" Katara asked, panicking.

"I'm working on it…"

Aang placed his hand on the floor and felt around.

"You can't metal bend, Aang."

Aang nodded and smiled. "I have an idea. First we're going to need some water."

The two looked around the cell and across at the others in the prison. Katara's eyes widened and she pointed ahead of them across the hall in front of the other cell.

"There! A cup of water. But what are you going to do?"

"You'll see."

Aang bended the water out of the glass and over to them. He then froze the water around Katara's cuff on her right wrist.

"Now smash it against the cell wall."

Bewildered, Katara looked at her husband. "What?"

"Just do it."

She took a deep breath in and smashed her wrist against the wall as instructed.

"Ow!" Katara cradled her wrist in her hand and looked down at it. The cuff was gone. It had shattered and fallen to the floor. "Wh- why'd it break? It's metal."

"It's not pure metal," Aang answered. "It's a mixture of glass and metal and if you freeze it, the structure inside becomes tight and fragile. So if you smash it against something it'll shatter."

Katara smiled. "Okay, Mr. Scientist. How are we going to get out, though? We don't have any more water."

The couple froze as they heard footsteps coming down the hall. Katara quickly swept the broken cuff away with her hand behind her and hid her wrist with her arm.

"Now what?" Katara whispered.

Aang watched as the guard walked in carrying a large bowl. A small bit of water dropped out of the side as he wobbled back and forth along the ground. Aang smirked and leaned towards Katara.

"I need you to freeze his hands and feet together with the water in that bowl he's carrying. Then I'll try and figure something out but for now we need to get this goon out of the way."

Katara nodded and concentrated on her mission. She took out her free hand and moved it up and down like a wave. The water in the large bowl began to move.

"Are you back there!?" a voice called out.

Katara stopped her bending and hid her arm again underneath her left one. The man turned his head and responded. Aang nudged his wife.

"He's distracted," he whispered. "You can do this."

Katara nodded and started bending the water again. She moved it around the man's arms and hands and froze it.

"What the-?" the soldier looked down at his hands and then over to Katara and Aang. "You two are in big trouble!"

The girl quickly bounded the man's feet and head in ice. Aang looked at her.

"Head?"

"So he can't speak."

"Good plan." Aang looked around the cell.

Katara bended the rest of the water out of the bowl and placed it around Aang and her bindings. With a few painful smashes, the two were free from their cuffs.

"I don't know how to get us out though, Katara. I can't find any more water."

Katara looked behind her, eyes lighting up.

"Aang look! The window! It's raining!"

"Perfect!"

Aang knocked on the window just above their heads. _'Glass.'_ He smashed his hand through the glass and winced. Katara glared at him.

"That was stupid."

Aang smiled sweetly. "You can heal it, right?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "I need you to help me freeze the gate to the cell. Then we can break through it."

"Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, what about…?"

"Aang, the baby will be fine, don't worry. We just need to get out."

The Avatar nodded in agreement and got into stance. A large stream of water was bended into the cell by the two benders and the gate was soon frozen. Aang looked over to his wife.

"Are you ready for this?"

She nodded and took in a deep breath only to let it out slowly.

"Ready."

"Okay, five…four-."

"I think they're in this cell back here," another voice called from the hall around the corner.

Katara and Aang looked at each other, horrified.

"Threetwoonego!" Katara whispered.

The two ran forward and slammed against the cell gate, shattering the bars sending them flying into the hallway. Katara groaned.

"You okay?"

She nodded and slowly began to stand up. Then right in front of them, someone they never expected to see. Not at the Western Air Temple that is.

"Ah, Avatar. What an honor it is to see you again. I see you've already managed to destroy my cell. That didn't take you as long as I thought it would."

"I thought you were at the Boiling Rock?" Aang growled.

"Yes, well my brother and Miss Priss's brother here proved to me that escaping that prison is quite simple."

Katara glared at the woman before her. Then her heart sank as she remembered what she had thought the previous night. The Dai Li couldn't do anything to anyone without Azula. But here she was- standing right in front of them ready to strike at any disapproving move. That's when Katara knew that nothing was going to go smoothly within the next few hours. Even breathing could threaten her existence and the one of the child inside of her. That's why she surrendered.

**A/N: Oooo cliffhanger!! Haha I'm mean I know. -beyondthesettingsun**


	8. The Fire Chamber

**Short again but I'm trying to build up to the main event haha.**

"You what?" Aang asked.

Katara could tell from the tone in his voice that he did not approve with his wife's actions.

"I give myself to be your servant. Just…please…don't hurt Kya."

Aang couldn't believe his ears. They had come this far and now she was giving up? Just because Azula was here? She had taken her down before, why was she suddenly so weak? Azula smirked.

"If you surrender, then so does the Avatar."

Katara looked over to Aang. They had both gotten to their feet but Aang felt like he was about to faint. The stares from the two women were too much. The one from Azula was one of triumph but the one from Katara was one of anguish. But he complied.

"Okay…" he agreed. "As—as long as nothing happens to our daughter."

"Oh, don't worry. It's not your daughter that I want. Guards! Take the Avatar and his wife to the fire chamber. We'll need to start our project right away."

Aang and Katara just looked at each other as four soldiers guided them to what was called the 'fire chamber'. As they headed down the hall, Katara took note at every exact detail of this hallway. She would need to know where to go to escape. They passed many doors and chambers which were mostly empty. This place felt more like a bunker to Katara than a prison base. Then she heard something that broke her heart. A scream. But she recognized the scream. It came from a door where a light shone through just ahead. And as they passed, she peeked through the window—Kya.

Katara tried to stop to get a better look at her daughter but one of the guards pushed her forward to get her moving faster. These guys weren't going to put up with anything from these two. And then at the end of the labyrinth of cells came one huge chamber made of complete, solid metal. The doors opened with a loud screech. The inside of the chamber was dark with slanted holes in the walls. They were pushed inside and chained to the walls, their hands and feet unmovable to them. Then in walked Azula.

"Now here is what I need from you two. Ever since the war has ended I have been trapped in a metal box, strapped against my will to a wall, much like you are now. And I had no power. I don't like not having power. So this is what I need from you. I want to use the power from the Avatar to restart the war and gain control of the world like my father had wanted before you destroyed him."

Azula glared at Aang.

"You can't just start the war with me," Aang stated. "Fire Lord Sozin only started the war because he had the power of the comet. You don't have that. The comet won't come back for another eighty-nine years."

Azula laughed. "That's where your wrong," she said singsong like. "With the power of the Avatar, I have all four elements at their most powerful and I'll drain all of your power on the world using each of the nations' elements against them and gain ultimate power from them all. And you have your wife to thank for that, Avatar. Without her insecurity, I'm sure you'd have your precious daughter and be on your merry way back home by now."

Katara held her breath as a tear ran down her cheek. This was her fault and she knew it, but she thought that she'd be able to escape. She knew she would somehow but she also knew that she couldn't have defeated Azula back in the other cell. She was too ready for it. She was too ready for anything. Katara was just trying to prevent any unneeded injuries.

"So, Avatar, here is what I need from you. I need you to go into the Avatar State so that we can make this process quick and painless."

"I'm not giving into your sick plan, Azula."

With a nod of the head from the former Princess, a ball of fire shot out from one of the holes in the chamber and to Katara. She took the heat in her right side as she fell to her knees in agony.

"Don't hurt her!" Aang screamed.

"I said do as I say and make this quick and _painless_, Avatar."

Aang sighed and hung his head, quickly bringing it back up.

"Okay…I'll try."

Aang didn't know exactly how to get into the Avatar State. Last time it was in fierce pain in the middle of a pile of rock and that was eleven years ago. He hadn't been in that state since and so figuring out how to do so was going to be difficult. After several minutes of concentration, Azula interrupted the Avatar and nodded. Another blast of fire was shot at Katara and she screamed in pain. Aang shot dagger eyes at his enemy.

"Why'd you do that!? I'm trying my best you don't need to hurt her!"

"Well you're not trying hard enough! If you want your wife to be safe then you'd better get into the Avatar State soon!"

Aang sighed once more and looked at Azula.

"Then you'd better unchain me."

"And why would I do that? You'd just escape."

The Avatar shook his head. "I'll meditate. That'll get me into the Avatar State. I'm not sure how long it'll take, but I do know that it'll work."

"Fine," Azula compromised. "Guards! Unchain the Avatar!"

Aang knew he had to go into the Avatar State to protect Katara, but he also needed some advice to get out of this situation and there was someone he knew could help him with that. He just had to get to the Spirit World to do so. He hoped that while he was spiritually gone, they'd leave Katara untouched.

**A/N: Another trip to the Spirit World! I love how this wasn't in the original plan. Thanks Kelly for the kind of idea…I think. **


	9. Sacrifices

**WARNING: WEIRD CHAPTER AHEAD! No, I'm serious. And it's also surprisingly long…er. So yeah. Read, review. Ya know the basics.**

Aang's eyes slowly opened and he looked around. All metal bindings were gone and he was surrounded by swamp.

'_The spirit world.'_

He got to his feet and looked around, remembering what he came here for in the first place.

"Roku!" he called out. "Avatar Roku! Please! I need your help!"

When nothing in sight moved or called, Aang began to walk around the unknown world. The swamp water filled his shoes as he walked and the smell was wretched. He hadn't remembered this place being so…so hell like.

"Avatar Roku can you hear me?!" Aang called out again.

Then he heard a ghostlike voice. "Yes. Aang why have you come?"

Aang was startled that he couldn't see the spirit's figure, but he settled with his voice. That would be good enough, wouldn't it?

"Roku, something's happened. Azula and the Dai Li kidnapped my daughter. So Katara and I went to find her at the Western Air Temple and Azula said she wanted to use my powers to restart the war. But if I don't do as she says…she'll…she'll probably kill Katara. With every wrong step she's burned. I don't know what to do."

"Aang, you cannot restart the war. The world is still too fragile to disgrace again."

Aang shook his head. "But you don't understand! They'll kill her if I do against their will! What do I do?!"

"Use your powers to end this," the voice echoed.

"But I-."

"Don't obey Azula. Through sacrifice, you will overpower her."

"Roku!"

The voice did not respond. Aang just looked around. He couldn't disobey Azula. He wished that Roku would just help him by destroying the Western Air Temple and save his family and help him but it didn't look to good. He was caught between a rock and a hard spot- risk Katara's life and destroy Azula, or restart the war and destroy the world. And what did he mean by sacrifice? Did he have to sacrifice Katara? He knew he had to save the world and if losing Katara was the only way to do so, it looked like he had no choice.

--

Katara watched in pain as Aang's eyes shot open and he began to glow. Azula laughed as she watched her plan about to unfold. The Avatar's feet began to rise off of the floor as a ball of wind surrounded him. Katara shut her eyes to try and shield them. Her arms and legs took on a strange feeling—like they were…free. The woman looked down and saw her chains had broken away. Aang had freed her somehow, probably from the wind. She took this as a signal to escape.

The gates in front of the cell flew open and she fled out, Azula watching in furry.

"Guards! After the Waterbender!"

Two of the men nodded and started chasing after her.

"I need to find some water," she whispered to herself.

Katara's eyes lit up when she remembered the rain. She ran back to her old cell that her and Aang had broken out of and stared out the broken window, hearing the footsteps of the enemy behind her. Once grabbing a canteen from the previously frozen guard, she filled it up with her weapon and hid around a corner, watching the others run past her in the other direction. Katara wasn't too concerned on escaping to Appa at the moment. All she wanted to do was grab her daughter and go, hoping Aang would see they were both okay.

So the Waterbender fled down the metal hall and to the cell Kya was being held. She bent the water out of the bottle strapped around her and sliced the lock on the door with it again and again until it eventually fell to the floor with a clank. Ignoring the gusts of wind from beyond the hall, Katara entered the cell.

--

Aang watched as Katara left the fire chamber then focused on his prey: Azula. She was in stance and ready to strike him down at any moment. But he wouldn't let her. Not again. There was too much to risk and they were on the other side of the world from the Spirit Oasis and he'd probably die on the trip there if seriously injured. When Azula began working up lighting, Aang returned to the ground and stood before the girl with a glare.

She pointed her fingers towards the Avatar but Aang just tilted her hand up, lightning striking the ceiling instead of his heart. Then he thought about Ozai. He could take Azula's bending away, but he had to get her into a surrender position and that was going to be difficult. He shot a gust of wind her direction and she flew and hit the wall. Azula's ear's picked up an unfamiliar sound to her. The clank of metal. And she ran.

--

Katara looked around the cell. Kya was nowhere to be seen. Then there was a cry from the closet next to a sink in the room. Katara's heart raced as did her feet over to the closet. She carefully opened the door 

to find a site that would only make a mother's heart ache. A little girl was cuddled up in the corner of the closet, grasping a stuffed animal, crying. Katara felt hot tears form in her eyes.

"Kya?" she asked as kindly and softly as she could. "Kya its Mommy."

The little girl suddenly stopped crying and lifted her head off of the wall and looked up at the smiling and tattered woman before her. Then she gave a toothy smile and got up running towards her mother. Katara scooped her up in her arms and held her tightly to her chest.

"Mommy I-."

Kya's words were cut off by an explosion in the hallway. Katara's head perked up to see Azula standing in the doorway with her fingers pointed at her. The mother's heart raced and she looked back down to her trembling daughter.

"Kya," she said softly, "I need you to go out that window over there."

Katara pointed to the window above the sink and cupboard in the room. Kya just gazed up at her idol.

"Why? Mommy I- I wanna- wanna stay."

Katara shook her head. "Kya I need you to be a big girl for Mommy and go out that window. I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Are you in trouble?"

Katara was shocked by her daughter's words. She had never expected for her to ask that.

"I…I need you to do what I said. Please."

Kya nodded and gave her mom one last hug before climbing onto the cupboard and heading out of the sliding window.

"You move, you die," Azula called.

Katara glared at the monster before her.

"I just want to get up."

Katara began to stand slowly only to be punished by a fire blast that sent her flying into the metal wall behind her. Then the ground began to shake. Another explosion came from the hallway slamming the wall to the cell Katara was in to the opposite wall. This created an open room to the hallway. Aang sent a large rock hurtling towards Azula. She set a foot out in front of her and flipped over it, easy.

"You make one false move, Avatar, and you're wife is gone!" Azula shouted over the noise of the wind.

Aang recognized the threat and began to calm down the wind and shaking ceased and his tattoos slowly returned to their normal blue color. Azula nodded and crossed her arms.

"Yes. Now are you ready to help me?"

Aang looked towards Katara who had gotten to her feet and then back to Azula. He quickly darted in front of his wife and shot a blast of fire towards the former Princess. She blocked it and sent lightning towards him but he easily redirected it to the other side of the room setting another closet on fire.

A heart wrenching scream was heard behind Aang. He spun around to see what had happened when Azula grazed his arm with lightning. He gripped his arm in pain but stared down at Katara who was on her knees on the ground with her arms wrapped around her stomach.

"Katara…"

Aang spun around in furry and sent lightning straight at Azula. The woman tried to block the shot but had missed, sending her flying into the wall behind her. Her body fell to the floor, lifeless with a burning hole right at her heart. Aang just blinked a few times at the sight of crimson liquid pouring out of her body. Had he really killed her? He began to walk over to find out when he heard another cry from Katara.

The Avatar returned to his wife's side and kneeled down beside her.

"What happened? What's wrong?"

Katara shook her head, crying. "I don't…Aang…"

"What?"

"…didn't make it."

Aang cocked his head. Her first words weren't audible.

"Kya? Kya didn't make it?"

Katara shook her head again. "No. She's safe. But- but…"

"The baby," Aang completed.

His heart sank. He had totally forgotten. He was so focused on just protecting Katara that it had slipped his mind that he should have gotten her to safety _out_ of here.

"Katara, I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I…I should have gotten you out of here."

She shook her head again. "It's not your fault."

"Mommy!"

Aang and Katara stared at each other in horror. Kya. They ran out of the cell and out of the prison. Katara took a left leading Aang to where Kya was supposed to be waiting. The small girl wiggled around trying to free her arm from the grip of another enemy.

"Let her go, Long Feng!" Aang ordered. "Azula's dead! You have no power now!"

The man laughed. "_I_ don't. But _she_ does." He pointed to the young girl.

The parents exchanged confused glances. Kya had just about had enough and she moved over closer to Long Feng and bit the hand that held her.

"Ow!"

The man released and Kya ran surprisingly fast over into Katara's arms. Aang just looked down at the two and smirked.

"Airbender."

Katara groaned and rolled her eyes, scooping Kya up into her arms and started running over to Appa. Aang followed and helped the two onto the bison. Katara sighed as she lied down on the saddle and gazed up at the now moving sky. Appa had taken off into the setting sun and she was finally safe. Kya was finally safe and with her. They could finally go home.

--

Long Feng watched as the bison took off and left the temple. Members of the Dai Li surrounded him as he stared off into the sky.

"Follow them."

**A/N: Told you it was weird. The danger isn't over yet though! I don't know why, but I have a thing for killing Azula in my stories…anyway, I just really had to make Kya an Airbender. I thought it would make Aang really happy and after what he's been through he deserves it.**


	10. The Chase Part 1

**BIG THANKS TO amillionthingsatonce!! She wrote the majority of this (I wrote only the first like 300 words or so…) because I suck at action scenes. Maybe one day I'll figure it out. I had much difficulty with the last chapter so I had Kelly do this one for me. **

**Kelly- I'm sorry the title isn't what you wanted.**

Katara placed a hand on her stomach and sighed. A relentless pain lingered there from the previous events. The woman sighed and tried to hold back the tears of the feeling of a sudden void that formed inside her. She turned to her side to see the figure of her sleeping daughter next to her and smiled. At least she had one of them.

"Katara?"

The Waterbender looked to her husband who was now sitting in front of her. She slowly sat up to match his cross-leg position.

"Hmm?"

"Are you doing okay?"

Katara just looked down and picked at the burnt fabric of her kimono. She shrugged.

"Okay as I can be, I guess. I'm just…" she sighed again, "I'm just tired and I feel sick. I feel like I lost a part of myself."

Aang grabbed her hand and stroked the top of it with his thumb, hoping that would comfort her.

"You kind of did. And that will wear you out. I know that you're tired and sick and sad that…that we-." Aang paused and took in a deep breath. "Lost it but you were really brave. It was risky surrendering like that but I think you might have just saved both of us by doing so. And I'm very proud of you."

She lifted her head up and down in acknowledgment of Aang's words. They meant a lot to her, they really did but it seemed that nothing could take the pain away from her heart from whom she had lost earlier that day. Katara looked back down to her side to see Kya no longer there. Frantic, the mother turned around to see her daughter standing up and looking over the back of Appa's saddle. Katara carefully got up and placed her hands on Kya's waist and pulled her into her lap with a small wince of pain. She looked over her shoulder uneasily. They had just got out over the ocean; the Western Air Temple was behind them.

"Are you sure they won't go after us?" she asked Aang nervously, clutching Kya closer to her chest as if that would protect her.

"I'm sure," Aang murmured, disregarding his wife's suspicions. He added, in a brighter voice, "I can't believe she's an Airbender."

"Isn't that what Daddy is?" Kya asked, tugging on Katara's hair.

"Ow, yes," Katara said, frowning and gingerly pulling her hair from her daughter's hand.

Aang grinned at her. "This is great! I'm not the last Air—"

He was cut short by a giant boulder flying through the air, missing Appa by a few mere inches. It crashed into the ocean, sending up a tall column of spray that left them drenched. Kya screamed at the top of her lungs, clawing at her mother. Katara and Aang looked over their shoulders as a submarine burst out of the water, charging towards them. A Fire Nation insignia gleamed in the sun against the dark metal. A small launch pad was uncovered on the top. Several Dai Li agents stood there, framed by a tall stack of rock pre-shaped into disks.

"They _did_ follow us!" Katara cried, alarmed.

"How did they get submarines? That was Sokka's design, and besides, you need Waterbenders to make them work," Aang asked.

"Who cares? They probably figured out how they worked on the Day of Black Sun and developed technology to make them work without Waterbenders. Or they brainwashed Waterbenders to sink it for them. Does it ma—they're shooting at us again!" Katara screamed, ducking.

"Mommy!" Kya wailed, burying her face. Aang jumped up into the saddle and smashed the rock. They were buried in dust for a few moments.

"Katara, we need altitude," Aang shouted. Katara picked up the reins, then looked up and yelped.

"Aang look!" she shouted, pointing at the sky. A Fire Nation airship hovered above them. A disk of earth was shot out of an opening in it and sailed at Appa. Katara bent a huge arm of water snaked up out of the ocean and swallowed it, freezing it in place before it could them. The ice melted and the rock fell into the ocean.

"Aang, take care of the airship and protect Kya. I'll go for the sub," Katara said, picking up her daughter and setting her into the saddle. Before Aang could protest she had jumped down into the water. A large wave formed below her and caught her fall. She skated off towards the submarine on ice, stopping the paths of projectiles before they hit Appa. Aang snatched the reins and steered his bison up into the sky towards the airship.

The Dai Li agents changed their target to Katara, but most of the missiles she dodged until she got close. There was a large glass pane on the front of the sub so the pilot could see. It was thick enough that it wouldn't crack if under pressure, but it shattered easily under the spike of ice Katara bent out of the sea. She jumped through the opening, rolling over the shards when she landed. Several cuts were torn into her arms, but she ignored them. Water was pouring through the hole in the wall, rapidly flooding the room. Katara bent it up and froze the pilot to the wall, grabbing the wheel and changing the sub's trajectory so it was now headed towards the cliffs. She froze it in place under a thick block of ice and ran out of the room.

It was a rather small sub—probably built for this purpose only. Besides the small room where it was steered the ship only had one chamber. Her suspicions of technology were confirmed by large machines pumping and churning, creating a thick coating of foul-smelling steam. Katara covered her nose and 

looked around the room--spotting rungs along one of the walls leading to a circular hatch on the high ceiling quickly. She ran to them and climbed up to the hatch.

Wind blasted her hair back as she clamored out on top of the sub. It had picked up speed, and was traveling at full force towards the cliffs. It was also starting to sink, probably due to the flooding of the inner chambers. She had very little time, but it was going to be enough.

Katara dodged the boulder that was bent at her, pulling up a large wave in the process. She curled it around her and sent it outwards, knocking off all the agents and most of their rock with them. She jumped into the water before the cliffs swallowed her with the ship. When it hit the high walls it exploded with a loud crack that echoed through the chasm. The cliff crumbled and sent a shower of rubble and debris down.

Katara drifted there, watching the destruction, being washed backwards a bit from the force. The saltwater stung her arms where she had cut herself, and her burns still stung painfully. During the fights she had been too caught up to heal them or even notice them, but now they made her eyes tear up with their searing pain. Katara closed her eyes and took a breath. The water around her started to glow. The cuts disappeared and the burns melted away off her skin.

She turned her head and looked up at the airship. There was a loud crash inside it before it too exploded. A figure fell from it. Katara watched with wide eyes as the person flipped themselves over and bent up a small wave, catching their fall.

"Aang!" Katara screamed, horrified.

**A/N: Cliffhanger! This was GOING to be one chapter but Kelly just had to write like over 2000 words…jeez. Haha, I'm kidding. I love it. This continues in the next chap. Enjoy the change of authors for one last one :)**


	11. The Chase Part 2

**Chapter 11! Weird, I only expected this story to be ten chapters. But there's still more after this, hang tight. I might even put it up on the same day as this. Depends on how fast I write, haha. But here we go, another chapter from amillionthingsatonce (with like minimal editing from me but I'm giving her 99.9 percent of the credit).**

While Katara was dealing with the sub, Aang had done his own work on the airship. He circled around it a few times, studying the vessel.

"Kya, I need you to be a good girl and stay in the saddle. Appa will keep you safe. Don't try to do any bending until I get back, okay?"

"Okay Daddy," Kya said in a small voice, gripping the wooden edge for dear life.

"Appa, I want you to fly over there," he added, pointing far off into the distance. "Keep my daughter safe from those rocks while you're at it. Can you do that for me, old buddy?"

Appa grunted as a response. Aang opened up his glider and took off, flying towards the airship. Several boulders were bent at him, but he redirected their paths straight down to the ocean below. A mechanic was standing on the outside railing, and went into a fighting stance that proved he wasn't a bender. Aang slammed his staff into the man's neck, sending him backwards, coughing and spluttering. The door to the inside of the airship was locked, but Aang quickly located the ring of keys at the man's belt. He helped himself inside, tucking the keys into his pocket. They might come in handy later.

He walked through the great ship. It must have been left over from the day of the comet, for it was huge. All the rocks had come from the front of the ship, so that was where the Dai Li agents were. Aang headed off in that direction, quickly coming across another mechanic, tinkering on a pipe that was leaking steam into the air. This one had a map sticking out of his back pocket. Aang easily bent the steam around the man's hands, freezing them to the pipe.

"I'll take that, thank you," he said, plucking the map out of the man's pocket, unfolding it. A small square on the map titled 'Earth Room'. Aang followed the map towards it, ignoring the man's shouts. It didn't take long to reach the door, and he sighed with relief when he heard that the sounds of Earthbending had stopped. That meant Kya and Katara were safe from the missiles. For now at least.

The door was locked of course, but one of the keys fit into it easily. Aang shoved the door open and stormed into the room, glaring at the Dai Li agents that stood in neat military rows. Behind them was a large pile of earth, and behind that was a large hole through which the missiles had been fired.

Long Feng strolled out of the orderly rows of his men towards him, a twisted and distorted grin on his face. Once he got close Aang noticed how horribly the man had aged. His face was creased where twisted emotions had engraved themselves into his skin. His hair was full of grey. When before it had been a neat, orderly braid, it was now a mess of loose strands that had escaped their bonds.

"Do you have something to say to me?" Aang asked after there were several seconds of silence.

"Just that I'm dreadfully sorry that I have to kill your wife and child. If only you had listened…Men!" he signaled, holding up his arm. The agents moved into Earthbending stances and removed several disks from the large pile of earth.

"Why are you still doing this? Azula's dead! I killed her!" Aang shouted.

"No matter. We're still going ahead with the plan," Long Feng said calmly.

"I won't let you," Aang snarled angrily, slashing his staff through the air. Long Feng was thrown backwards in a powerful gust of wind. His body flew out the hole like a rag doll and fell to the ocean below. The disks that were still suspended in the air closed around the Dai Li agents, pinning their arms to their sides. Aang bent them out the hole in the wall, taking the men with them.

Once the room was empty, Aang turned and headed towards the engine room. Now the only thing left was to blow up the airship. Before he left the Earth Room he picked up a rock that lay discarded on the floor. Something told him he'd need it.

The engine had a series of twisting gears on the outside. Aang felt the reassuring weight of the rock in his hand. A man was tightening bolts on one side of it, and looked up when Aang walked into the room. The pipes lining the wall were fairly old. When Aang smashed the rock into one it burst open, sending hot steam into the man's face. He shouted and fell over, holding his face in his hands and writhing in pain. Aang cringed and quickly jammed the rock in between two of the gears. They groaned a protest and the whole ship seemed to shudder. Aang spun on his heels and ran from the room, tracing his footsteps to the door he had first entered through.

The man he had knocked down earlier outside had just risen to his feet. He lunged at him, but Aang easily shoved him aside. He watched as the submarine slammed into the cliffs in the distance. Its crash reverberated through the air. Aang paused to watch it, but a metallic groaning from the heart of the ship woke him up. He jumped over the railing before the whole airship exploded. Aang turned over in the air and felt his staff sliding through his fingers. There was no time to open it now, and even if he did, it would just tear. Frantically, he moved his arms in circular motions. A small wave bubbled up from the ocean, swallowing him as he hit the water.

When he surfaced he took a painful gasp of air, coughing on the saltwater. He looked around and spotted Appa in the distance, floating calmly in the water. But where was Katara? She hadn't…crashed with the sub…had she?

"Appa!" Aang shouted, waving his staff in the air. Sound must carry well over water, for the beast grunted and launched himself into the air. Kya squealed when Appa sailed down and landed next to her father.

"Daddy!" she screamed, jumping onto his chest as he climbed up onto Appa.

"Hey," he said, coughing. "Do you know where Mommy is?"

"Right over there," Kya said, pointing at towards the cliffs. Aang followed her finger and saw Katara floating in the water in the distance.

"Yip yip," Aang said, picking up Appa's reins and flicking them. Appa once again took off, flying low over the water towards his last passenger. Katara waterbent herself up, grasping his horn with one arm. Aang grabbed her other arm and hauled her up. She collapsed over his lap, coughing and dripping.

"Mommy!" Kya cried.

"Are you okay?" Aang asked. Katara nodded and propped herself up wearily.

"I'm fine…Are you?" she said.

"Of course. I have my two favorite girls back," Aang grinned. Katara rolled her eyes but rested her head on her husband's chest.

"Hey Daddy, look what I can do!" Kya exclaimed, holding up her hands. A small globe of air formed between them and spun around rapidly before quickly dissipating.

"Wow," Katara said, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"You know, you can make a scooter out of that and ride it around. Even up walls," Aang said.

Katara looked up at Aang with a weary glare. "Aang…"

Kya and Aang both gave the mother a pleading look.

"Please?" they begged.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh fine."

Kya gasped. "Really? Will you show me Daddy?" she cried.

"Sure. But first we have to go home," he said, tugging on Appa's reins and turning him around.

**A/N: Awww. She finally loves her daddy. Just kidding! I mean she does, but she always has. Its a little kid thing. When I was her age, my dad would ask me who he was and I'd say "I don't care I want Mommy". I was cruel to him. But he buys me stuff so I love him, haha.**


	12. A Mother's Strength

**Another chapter! I think this is my longest story yet. Well besides the oneshots but that doesn't count, it's not an on-going story. Anyway, enjoy chapter 12!!**

Darkness fell upon the family as the rough journey finally relaxed. Katara peacefully slept at the back of the saddle with Kya snuggling into her. The little girl's breathing was calm and smooth, almost like nothing had ever happened. Aang was perched on Appa's neck steering the bison onward over a quiet town towards home. He was definitely tired and wanted to take a break for the night but didn't want to wake the two girls in the back. And he would have stuck with this decision if Katara hadn't sat down next to him and snuggled into his robes. The Airbender looked down to his love watching the path ahead with weary eyes.

"Why don't you stop for the night? We all need rest. _You_ need rest." Katara offered in a hushed tone, trying not to wake her daughter.

"I'm not tired," Aang said while yawning.

Katara wasn't convinced and weakly punched Aang's leg.

"Land. Now." She ordered.

He nodded and leaned down and kissed the top of Katara's head.

"Down we go."

As the bison began to descend, there was a soft crying sound from the back of his saddle. Katara looked back to see Kya shivering and whimpering. With a compassionate look, she carefully stood up and walked towards her daughter. Katara pulled a blanket out of a bag that she had packed and wrapped it around Kya and held her close.

"This'll warm you up, Sweetie."

"Momma?"

Katara smiled. "Hmm?"

"I'm hungry, Momma."

She nodded. "Well Daddy is landing Appa and we can find a place to land there for the night and we'll try and get you some food while we're there. How does that sound?"

The girl nodded and yawned. Her glistening grey eyes closed again and before long, she was fast asleep once more. Katara pushed Kya's thick, wavy hair out of her face and decided not to try and put it back up into a braid yet. She'd let her sleep and then get her ready in the morning.

"Katara?" Aang asked softly. "Katara, we've landed. Do you want to stay on Appa or do you want to find an inn?"

"An inn if that's not too much trouble. Kya's hungry and we've run out of food."

"'Kay." Aang jumped off of Appa and down onto the soft grass. "Do you need help down?"

Katara merely shook her head and scooped Kya up in her arms. She stood up and carefully walked down Appa's tail and to the ground. The little girl stirred a little and moved her head from her mother's shoulder blade to the crook of her neck. She yawned again and placed her thumb up to her mouth. Katara smiled at the sweet sight of her daughter sleeping and kissed her forehead tenderly.

After a few minutes of walking, the three came upon a small inn in the middle of the town. Aang opened the door wide for Katara and Kya and followed them into the building. At a desk inside an older woman sat filling out what seemed to be paperwork, probably of the guests staying there. She quickly alerted to the new guests when she heard the door quietly close behind them. She gave a loving smile when she spotted Katara carrying the young child in a soft blue blanket.

"You need a place for tonight?" she asked.

Aang nodded. "If you're not too full."

The inn keeper noted the colors of Aang's clothing and his arrows.

"I'm never too full for the Avatar and his family. Follow me."

The woman led Katara, Kya and Aang up a short series of stairs and down a long hallway. She stopped at the end and opened the door labeled 26. The door was opened gently and the family stepped in. The older woman noticed the condition of Katara's clothing and frowned.

"Looks like you got into quite a battle young lady. Would you like a new robe for your journey home?"

"I don't want to impose-."

"Oh you're not imposing!" she interrupted. "I insist. I'll be right back with a new robe and maybe a late night snack and hot tea?"

Katara glanced at her daughter. "That would be wonderful, thank you."

The inn keeper bowed to the family; Aang returned the kindness before she left to fetch the offer. He closed the door and turned to see Katara placing Kya in one of the two beds. The girl stirred and opened her eyes.

"Mommy? Where are we?"

"We're at an inn, honey. In a few minutes you'll be able to have a snack, okay?"

Kya nodded again and sat up. She looked around the big room. There was a knock on the door and, frightened, she scuffled under the covers of her bed. As Katara tried to comfort her, Aang answered the door. The inn keeper stood there with a try of food and tea and a new robe.

"Here you are, Avatar. Where would you like your things?"

"Over here."

The woman followed the Avatar into the room. She placed the tray onto the side table as Aang offered. Then she picked up a small bowl of rice with chopsticks and went over to the bed where Katara and Kya were. She knelt down and looked into the little girl's eyes and smiled.

"Would you like some food?" she offered.

Still a little shaken up, Kya nodded fast and took the bowl and utensils from the lady. Kya dropped the chopsticks on the bed and started eating the rice with her fingers. Katara picked up her hand.

"Kya, no, no. Use the chopsticks. That's not ladylike."

The little girl just looked up to her mother with a pleading look. Katara out stared her so Kya picked up the chopsticks and used them to scoop up the rice like a spoon. The inn keeper laughed a little then stood up again.

"I brought you a robe, Ma'am. It is over on the bedside table."

Katara bowed her head with a thank you and turned her attention back to her daughter who had already started using her hands to eat again.

"Thank you for your kindness, Ma'am," Aang said. "I'm sure we'll get a nice rest tonight."

"And if you need anything else, I'm right downstairs."

Aang led the woman out and shut the door behind her. Wearily, he made his way to the other open bed and lied down. Katara came over to join him after Kya was finished and off to sleep.

"Are you going to have any tea? There's one cup left if you want any."

Aang shook his head. "I'm too tired."

Katara smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Thanks."

The Avatar looked into his wife's eyes, confused. "For what?"

"Saving us."

He laughed. "That's my job, isn't it?"

Katara nodded and snuggled up to Aang, closing her eyes. She let out a deep sigh into his chest and fell asleep. Aang just watched her as her chest rose and fell so peacefully. She really deserved the rest after all she had been through. Aang didn't know how she could do it. Katara had been pregnant, traveled to the Western Air Temple from the Southern Water Tribe, battled against the Dai Li and other Firebenders, escaped, saved her daughter, lost her other child and still managed to be okay and _thank_ him at the end?

It was then that Aang began to see why she had made the choices that she had. He didn't understand the heartache of a mother losing her child because, being a guy, he'd never _carried_ that child for close to a year. And he saw that it wasn't out of weakness that she had surrendered. It was because of a mother's strength that she gave up her life just to protect her own child. It was because she was strong enough to die for those who were weak that made her truly remarkable to him. And as he realized this, he wondered why he hadn't seen it before. Katara's mother had done the same for her when she was about Kya's age so it was like she was just returning the favor.

"Thank you, Katara."

**A/N: I think there's going to be at least one more chapter. If there's more, that's because...I don't know. 'Cause I felt like it. But don't forget to review!** **-beyondthesettingsun**


	13. What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Stronger

**Okay, last chapter. And it's MEGA short, sorry about that. And from the point when Aang says 'I hate to be cheesy' to the end of that conversation is from a conversation I had with my friend Nic. I liked it and thought it fit so I put it in here. That was a very emotional conversation...**

Katara sat on her bed and played with a familiar item in her hand. Her mother's necklace. She hadn't seen it in years. After becoming engaged to Aang, she had tucked it away and wore the engagement necklace he had made for her and hadn't pulled it out since. She thought it was stupid to keep dwelling on the past and what could have happened so she decided not to look at it. But ever since she had returned from the Western Air Temple she had felt a strong urge to pull it out again.

"How could you do something like that for me?" she whispered. "You had no right to. You lied to that man and you knew the consequences but you took the chance anyway. And it was all for me. Because you loved me."

"And because of that, you were able to do what you did."

Katara gasped and looked up. Aang walked into the room and sat down next to Katara. He placed a hand on hers and looked at the necklace, then to her eyes.

"I didn't see you there," Katara admitted. "I don't know how I did that, though. I mean, I know she's my daughter, but I just don't see…"

Her voice faded out and the room became silent.

"I hate to be cheesy," Aang started, "but this is true…whatever doesn't kill us really does make us stronger."

Katara shook her head. "It's not that cheesy. But you're right. And that's probably why I haven't totally died yet."

"Probably. And that'll be a sad day for us all. Let's not think about that."

Katara nodded in agreement and leaned against Aang. She ran her thumb across the cold, smooth stone on the necklace and thought of how her mother must have felt that day. She probably felt the same anger, the same sadness, and the same fear that she had. She wondered what her mother had done for her that helped her risk her life for her daughter.

"Daddy?"

Katara and Aang looked to the entryway of the room and saw their little girl standing there. Kya walked up to her mom, rubbing her eye, and looked at her, scared. Aang picked her up and set her in his lap.

"What's wrong, Kya?" Aang asked.

The girl sniffed. "I had a bad dream."

Aang smiled and kissed his daughter's head.

"What happened?"

"Someone chased me and I got scared. Can I sleep with you and Mommy?"

Aang looked over to Katara, concerned. Kya had never done this before and he'd never heard of any other kid doing it. Katara just nodded her head and whispered into Aang's ear.

"It's okay. I used to sleep with by my parents all the time when I got scared at night."

Aang handed the little girl over to Katara and Aang got back in bed. Katara pulled out a small cot with a blanket and pillow and set it next to her bed. Kya just shook her head.

"I wanna sleep with you guys," she cried.

Katara, bewildered, picked Kya up once more and placed her in bed next to her dad. Then the mother got in as well next to Kya and placed an arm around her as if she were protecting her from all danger. In a way she kind of was. Aang just looked into Katara's eyes like he was asking if this was okay.

"It's alright," Katara mouthed to Aang. _'As long as she's safe.'_

**A/N: Hey, you want a sneak peak at my next series? Check out the first ten chapter preview in my profile!**- **beyondthesettingsun **

**Review! You know you want to :)**


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